Tent construction



April 30, 1940. B. CLEARMONT TENT CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 2, 1938 INVENTOR ATTORN EY Patented Ap 3 3 14.01,

g TEl\TT CONSTRUCTION V Benjamin ClearmontFort Worth, Tex.

"Application September 2, 1938, swarm. 22 ,184 om (01. 135-15 1 v 'This invention relates to-tents and it has. par- ;ticularreference to a ten-t construction adapted to be readilyferected with" the maximum of ease and -a-lacrity, requiring'a minimum of effort in its handling and possessing'many n'oveland salient features conducive to"exceptional portability and -,the "weighted-=ylevers stretched across the ridge pole. levers are-also shownin dotted lines in the uppermost portion.

application,

Another object of the invention resides inthe provision of a tent construction embodying few adjustable parts yet dur'ableand capable-of resisting the elements, affordingdesirable housing facilities for such purposes as portable tabernacles, circus and show. tents, relief projects, and many-other usages for Whichs'uch portable structure'smayhe employed.-

Yet another ject of theinvention is manifest inthe provision of a structure requiring little bracing apparatus, such as 'guy ropes or wires, thereby-eliminating inuc'h'of the usual parapher nalia required in such structures and which create an undesirable hazard from the standpoint of safety as well as the requisite of additional labor and expense in erection and maintenance.

A specific object of theinvention'residcs in the provision of an arrangemen-tjof elements per: mitting the normal contraction "and expansion of the canvas top, usually prevalent due to the changing of atmosphericconditions, Withoutne- 'cessitating the manual adjustment ofguys conventionally'arranged inspaced relationship along each side of the tent and secured byssta'kes to 'the ground, the novel construction :hereinxdescribedbeing such as to maintain the canvas taut under varying-conditions unattended by any human agency other than" to properly; adjust the operative elements when thestructure is erected.

Broadly, the invention seeks} to comprehend" the provision of a tent construction of the?.cl1 ar- 1 acter described which is capable of assembly and erection by a single individual, or inthe :case'of I exceptionally large structures, with a minimum of man power and affording an economical as.

along the sides thereof and operatively connected to the eave-po-lebfthe structure.-

"Figure 2 isa fragmentary perspective, illustration of one end of oneoi the eave-polesshowing the manner in which-a section of thetop canvas is attached to the eave-pole'and also showing the manner in which the Weightedlever' is applied,

thesa'id lever being utilized as a Wrench. I

--Figurei3 is a lateral cross sectional illustration of the structure showing the framework thereof and the? top canvas extending downwardly' and around the eaverp'ol'es on each'side and showing retaining the "canvas The weighted Figure 4 is a, iragrnentary cross sectional illuseavevpoles and showing, in cross section, tl1e application of the weighted levers which, asshowh in-dotted lines, mayl be also ut-ilized as wrenches,

and

inwhicli the same is assembled}.- xAccording-ly, therefore, the invention comprises primarily a frame work-which consists of- ,a' pair, of upright members 1 arranged on each side of the longitudinal axis of'the assembly,- as

1 shown inF-igure 3, and these membersare braced by angular supports '2 whichare connected at their uppermost ends to-a cross beam 3 whose ends are also supported at n by the vertical supports 11 "linemen-[beret are attached'to the, cross member-3 at apoint a short distance inwardly from the outer ends of the cross member 3.

A ridge p'ole is supported centrally of the Y ra'ssemhlyzby an'uprightj beam 5 which is attached at its lowermost end to the cross rnernloe-rj 3 at the conjunction b of the two angular supports 2. Therverticalelementit is also reinforcedby an- -t' gu lar braces 6 whichextend upwardly from the thus secured, through the medium of special -brackets 8,110 the ends of the cross member tration of one of thejournal assemblies for the A detail o fj this structure is illustrated .inQFig ure 5. i

The :superst'ri 1'cture,-.'whichis described, is laterally-supported by .braces fi' and in extending downwardly and outwardly at an. angle fromthe supports-1T,- as illustrated in Figure 3, and addi-m tionally strengthened by auxiliary braces H and are preferably of metal, or the like. v 1

The-outer ends of'the braces '9 and (10 are .sup-- ported bywallspostsl5 and I 6 which are propa unit by reasonably cross fitting pins.

erly spaced along the length of the structure as is the case also of the frame workwhich has just been described. The lateral braces 9 and I0 overreach the upper ends of the wall posts l5 and I6 sufliciently to accommodate at their outer ends a pair of bearings ll, as shown in cross section in Figure 4, adapted to receive the spindles l8 in the ends of cave-poles 9 which are so journalled as to permit their rotation, the purpose of which will be presently described.

Sections of canvas 20 are alrranged across the ridge pole 4 and their ends secured to and rolled upon their eave-poles Is in a mannershownin Figure 2. The canvas may be secured by any means, such as by tacking, or the like, toavepoles l9 and it is preferable to so secure these ele-.

ments as to enable their being disconnected at will when it is desirable to transportthe assembly. When the structure is erected in the manner just described arms 21, having rectangular opening at one end thereof adapted to surround the rectangular banded endscof'the cave-poles l9, are arranged over these members.,in-the manner shown in Figures 2 and 4, and operated as a v wrench to tighten the canvas on the cave-poles I9, by rotating the latter whereupon a weight 22, suspended by a chain or a cable 23, is attached to the outer ends of the arms 2| at d which will retain the canvas 2!! tautly across the ridge pole 4 and over the longitudinally extending rails 1 intermediate the ridge pole 4 and the cave-pole 19 on each side of the structure. In reference to Figure 4, it will be noted that the arms 2! .may he slipped off the ends of the ridge pole I9,

as illustrated in dotted lines, and rotated to a position where, when these members are again placed over the ends 0 of the ridge pole 9, anew hold may be attained.

Each section of the canvas 20 may be joined together at the communicating ends of the poles {9 by such means as snaps and rings 24, or similar device, and a small flap (not shown) may be together by means of pins 1 in order to expedite the assembly. In practice it has been learned that after the structure has been properly erected it remains rigid and therefore properly retains in Bolts having nuts threaded thereupon may be employed if such is considered expedient but the useof such equipment is believed unnecessary in view 'of the fact that one of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a tent structure re-- quiring a minimum of :time and effort in its assembly. v

After the supporting frame Work has been assembled, these assemblies are erected and secured together by the ridge ,pole '4 and the longitudinal rails '1. The cave-poles 19, having the pins 18 .extending from the ends thereof, as shown in Figure 4, are placed in position so that the spindles H! are extending into the bearings H secured to each side of the laterally extending braces 9 and I0 and on the outer ends thereof. The arms 21, however, must be slipped over the bend at ends 0 of the poles l9 before the spindles l8 are inserted in the bearings l! in the manner just described. The arms 2| can then be urged toward the ends of the poles I9 and disengaged therefrom, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 4, so that these members can be rotated to any desired position to properly rotate the poles I9 and therefore exert sufficient tension on the canvas'2ll to retain the same in its stretched condition across the ridge pole and the rails 1. After the arms 21 are properly adjusted and the weights 22 attached, the canvas 20 may contract and expand without undue strain, the degree of such contraction and expansion being dependent upon atmospheric conditions. The assembly may be braced on each end by guys 25 which may be attached to stakes of a conventional character driven into the ground, as illustrated in Figure 1. -Manifestly, the structure shown is capable of certain changes and modifications by those skilled in the art and such changes and modifications which may be resorted to from time to time and which maybe considered as coming within the spirit and intent of the invention may also be considered as falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a tent construction, the combination of a sheet of canvas, a ridge pole and rotatably mounted eave-poles, a supporting frame work for the said ridge pole and the said cave-pole, the said canvas arranged over the said ridge pole and secured on each side thereof to the saideavepole and weighted levers fixedly attached to the said eave-pole whereby. the latter may rotate under the normal contraction and expansion of the said canvas. v

2. In a tent construction, the combination of .a canvas fly, a ridge pole, a pair of eave-poles and a supporting frame work for the said ridge pole and the said cave-poles, the said cave-poles rotatably supported by the said frame Work, the said canvas extending over the said ridge pole and attached on each side thereof to the said cave-poles and yieldable means fixedly attached to the said cave-poles for restrictedly rotating the L said poles to stretch the said canvas.

3. In a tent construction, the combination of a tent'fly, a'ridge pole and'rotating cave-poles, a

supporting frame work for the said canvas and the said poles, the said canvas secured tothe said prising a canvas fly, a ridge pole and rotatingeave-poles, a supporting frame work for the'said poles and the said canvas, the said canvas secured to and around the said cave-poles on each side of the said supporting frame work, and oscillating means secured to each of the said eavepoles exerting'tensionon the said canvas.

5. A tent construction comprising a frame, a canvas over the frame, cave-poles rotatably mounted on the said frame and secured to edges of the said canvas whereby the latter is rolled thereupon, and'means attached to the said rotable eave-poles restrictedly rotating the said poles and yieldably retaining the canvas taut over the said frame.

6.. A tent construction comp-rising ,a frame, cave-poles rotatably mounted on the said frame, canvas attached to the said cave-poles and extending over the said frame, and weighted levers laterally extending from the said poles.

BENJAMIN CLEARMO'NT. 

